The US Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of The National Academies to conduct a workshop that would examine the interface of the medicolegal death investigation system and the criminal justice system. NIJ was particularly interested in a workshop in which speakers would highlight not only the status and needs of the medicolegal death investigation system as currently administered by medical examiners and coroners but also its potential to meet emerging issues facing contemporary society in America. Additionally, the workshop was to highlight priority areas for a potential IOM study on this topic. To achieve those goals, IOM constituted the Committee for the Workshop on the Medicolegal Death Investigation System, which developed a workshop that focused on the role of the medical examiner and coroner death investigation system and its promise for improving both the criminal justice system and the public health and health care systems, and their ability to respond to terrorist threats and events. Six panels were formed to highlight different aspects of the medicolegal death investigation system, including ways to improve it and expand it beyond its traditional response and meet growing demands and challenges. This report summarizes the Workshop presentations and discussions that followed them.

Rev. ed. of: The DOT medical examination: a guide to commercial drivers' medical certification / Natalie P. Hartenbaum, editor. 4th ed. c2008.

This comprehensive book thoroughly addresses every aspect of Independent Medical Evaluations, an important part of many medical specialty disciplines where forensic opinions are needed by patients, physicians, insurers, and attorneys. Independent Medical Evaluation: A Practical Guide begins by defining the IME product and the IME evaluator themselves, explaining the medicolegal systems, and providing guidance towards establishing these professional services. Following this, the book describes how to best use medical records, and best-practices for taking an IME history and conducting an examination. The final few chapters cover developing an IME report, the common challenges and pitfalls encountered, with strategies and pearls shared to illustrate how to avoid them. Structured in a concise, practical format, this essential guide includes a large selection of sample models and templates, for additional teaching purposes. The first of its kind, Independent Medical Evaluation: A Practical Guide is a unique and ideal reference text for any physician working with IME’s, from the physician conducting their first exam, to the experienced physician alike.

There are approximately 4,000 fatalities in crashes involving trucks and buses in the United States each year. Though estimates are wide-ranging, possibly 10 to 20 percent of these crashes might have involved fatigued drivers. The stresses associated with their particular jobs (irregular schedules, etc.) and the lifestyle that many truck and bus drivers lead, puts them at substantial risk for insufficient sleep and for developing short- and long-term health problems. Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Fatigue, Long-Term Health and Highway Safety assesses the state of knowledge about the relationship of such factors as hours of driving, hours on duty, and periods of rest to the fatigue experienced by truck and bus drivers while driving and the implications for the safe operation of their vehicles. This report evaluates the relationship of these factors to drivers' health over the longer term, and identifies improvements in data and research methods that can lead to better understanding in both areas.